Child development. Normal development by 18 months.

As we all know the development does not always occur at the same time for every child. And although it is extremely important to surround them with an educational, healthy and appropriate environment for their age, we must be aware of their development, in order to detect any abnormality that should be treated with the pediatrician.

If you have a baby up to 18 months, in this article I will tell you what are all those activities that your child should be doing at this time.

As a mother of 2 boys, I was always very interested in learning about the development of my children. And after having to deal with a delay in walking and talking with my oldest son, I dedicated myself to study everything related to child development, and so I want to share with you a general guide with some important tips.

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Let’s start with Communication skills:

This skill refers to your child’s ability to transmit or communicate a message in reference to some need that must be resolved.

Your child should be able to:

When your child wants something, he should be able to point it to you.

If you ask your child short sentences, Example: Where is the ball? or Where is dad? he should be able to point or go next to the object, person or toy that you are asking him for.

Say 8 or more words, besides “mom” and “dad”, these words can be related to anything.

When you say a two-word sentence, Example: what’s this?, Mama eats, daddy plays, your child should be able to repeat the sentence to you.

After showing your child 2 different pictures, one with a dog, the other one with a cat, now you need to ask him, Where is the kitty? and/or Where is the puppy?, is your child answering these questions?, at least one answer should be correct.

Say 3 or more words together that can be understood as a sentence or represents an idea, Example: “Mommy eats rice”, ‘Daddy is home”, “Kitty is gone”, “I want to play” etc.

Gross motor.

Your child should be able to:

Bend over or squad to pick up objects or toys from the floor, and be able to go back up without any help or support.

Move around, and the majority of the time by walking, instead of crawling on hands or knees.

Walk well, with and without support and seldom fall.

Climb on to get objects in high places such as a chair without falling.

With support of rails, the wall or your hand, your child should be able to walk down stairs.

After you tech him, your child is able to kick objects, for example a large ball, moving his legs forward.

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Fine motor.

Your child should be able to:

Perform the forearm motion to throw things forward, for example throw a small ball with his arm.

Stack small and larger objects, one on top of the other, like Blocks or legos.

Hold and make a mark on the paper with a pencil or crayons, at least trying to draw.

Turn the pages of a book by himself, is ok if he turn multiple pages at a time.

Get a spoon with food inside his mouth without usually spilling the food.

Drink from a cup or glass, putting it down again with minimal spilling.

Problem solving.

You might need to show him these following activities, but after he sees you, your child should be able to:

After showing him how, your child should be able to drop multiple toys or objects inside a bowl or box.

Try to get a small toy that is out of his reach, by using a longer object like a spoon.

Turn a bottle over or turn it upside down, if he sees small objects inside the bottle.

Scribble back and forth on a paper, when you give him a crayon, pencil or pen.

Being able to draw any lines in any directions on a piece of paper with a crayon, pen or pencil.

Personal-Social skills.

Personal-social ability is where your child shows affection for someone or something, and where he is able to interact with other people.

While playing, your child should be able to show affection to a doll or other toy by hugging them.

Your child know how to get your attention or try to show you something by pulling your hand or clothes.

Your child comes to you when he needs help, such as winding up a toy or unscrewing a lid of a jar.

Your child should also be able to copy the simple activities you do on your daily routine, activities like wipe a spill, sweep, comb your hair etc.

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In conclusion:

As you can see here, you have a general idea of the activities that your child must be doing between 12 or 18 months of life. Always remember, it is important to let children develop at their own pace, but providing an educational and safe environment for normal development is crucial.

If your child doesn’t do these activities, he probably needs your help. And if not, do not worry, as I mentioned in the beginning of the article, my son was late in walking and talking, and yet he is a completely normal child today.

In any case, as mothers, we must always be aware, in case there is any condition that has to be treated with the doctor. If you have doubts or questions I recommend that you always check with the pediatrician.

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Ultrasound tech and mommy of 2 boys. Being a mother is one of the most beautiful things that have happened to me in life, but certainly being an exceptional mother can be frustrating and difficult at times. With this blog I want to help you navigate the stages of motherhood gracefully, combining my medical knowledge with my mommy experience, I want to help you to be the best mother you can be.